Mayor Ortt announces more than $686,000 in Department of Interior grant for city marina

by jmaloni

Wed, Jan 25th 2012 06:45 pm

North
Tonawanda's Mayor Robert G. Ortt announced today that the U.S. Department of
Interior has awarded a total of $686,919 in boater infrastructure grant funding
for the City Marina located at 1000 River Road, adjacent to Gratwick Riverside
Park. This grant will be administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the investment funds will specifically be used for transient dock
and bulkhead replacement, along with the construction of landside restrooms.

The City of
North Tonawanda contracted with Applied Technology and Management in 2010 to conduct
a market research, and to prepare a full feasibility study and cost benefit
analysis for redevelopment of the marine property. Applied Technology and
Management developed two draft concepts that are intended to "maximize benefit
to the community and create a safe and accessible destination along the North
Tonawanda waterfront," the mayor's camp said.

Undertaking the
study has already paid dividends for the city, they added. North Tonawanda has
been awarded $300,000 in funding from the Niagara County Greenway Committee and
now $686,919 from the DOI. Jim Sullivan, director of the City Community
Development Department, and the staff of the Lumber City Development
Corporation worked closely with Applied Technology and Management on applying
for both sources of funding for this venue.

"This is great
news for North Tonawanda," Ortt said. "This money will go a long way toward
accomplishing the much needed renovations along our riverfront."

He added, "When
I ran for mayor, I promised the people of NT that I would work to turn this
vacant piece of property along our waterfront into something viable. This money
will help us realize that goal of bringing boaters and pedestrians to our
waterfront."